TOTALLY AND COMPLETELY

Cats and dogs are the pets that have divided the world into two-- cat people, and dog people. I'm not here to say that needs to change- that the world should come together in unity and accept that cats and dogs are equal. They're not. Cats have advantages dogs will never have- health and intelligence benefits, and are simply cheaper. The superior pet is clear- and I'll even prove it to you.

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HEALTH BENEFITS

In addition to being just plain cute, cats have several benefits to your health as well. According to http://www.healthfitnessrevolution.com, owning a cat can reduce stress and anxiety. Especially with low-maintenance cats (which most cats are), a simple cuddle session can be enough to reduce any worrywart's anxiety. Additionally, oddly enough owning a cat decreases risk of heart disease. In a recent study conducted by the University of Minnesota's Stroke Institute, people who didn't own cats were 30-40% more likely to die from a heart disease/attack than those who do. Even if you're perfectly healthy, cats can still help you out. They provide companionship when there's no person to do it- in fact, a Swiss study in 2003 showed that owning a cat was similar to having a romantic partner.

CHEAP, COMPACT, SIMPLY CONVIENIENT

Ever seen your neighbor's Great Dane and wonder- how in the world do they have the room and money for that? The answer is, they really don't- but with cats, you don't have that problem. Cats take up very little space in your home, as they don't require nearly as much exercise as dogs. Cats are perfectly fine with remaining indoors or outdoors, while dogs require to be taken outside sometimes more than once a day. In addition, cats are actually a whole lot cheaper than dogs are. Including vetting, toys, litter, food, and any other necessities of owning a cat, the yearly cost ends up being around $1169, according to www.peteducation.com. This may seem like a lot until you take a look at the annual cost for owning a dog- a whopping $2485, the majority of the extra expense being food. That's up to $1316 saved a year, plus the extra space saved with the more compact animal- just by owning a cat over a dog.

​MAINTENANCE

If you've ever been daunted by a dog's muddy pelt, never fear- this problem is nearly nonexistent with cats. Self-grooming is an instinctive trait in cats, and rarely need baths, unlike their larger counterparts, whom require bathing monthly, according to Cesar's Way. Cats, like all clawed pets, need their nails trimmed, but only once every two or three weeks, while dogs need theirs clipped nearly weekly to prevent injury. Also, cats don't need to visit the vet excessively. Most vets like to see your feline friend only once a year, and may even wait longer than that if that cat is healthy, while they prefer to see dogs up to once every six months, so owning a cat saves you money and time. Plus, dogs require more inspections while at the vet than cats- heartworms and other things typically only found in dogs tack onto your vet cost.

VARIETY

Although dogs also have this advantage, the sheer variety of types of cats, fur colors and patterns, and personalities are astounding. There's gentler cats for quieter people, playful cats for wild kids, cats with red fur, blue fur, brown and golden and everything in between. There's a cat for everyone- which is why cats are, without a doubt, the best pet.